Asparagus cutter



May 8, 1923 1,454,555

N. NIELSEN AS PARAGUS CUTTER Filed July 18, 1922 s sheets-sheet 1 I ,5 I 4'3. 9 ,L

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INVENTCR May 8, 1923. 1,454,555

N. NIELSEN ASPARAGUS CUTTER Filed July 18, 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTQR ATTY.

May 8, 1923. 1,454,555 N. NIELSEN ASPARAGUS CUTTER Filed July 18. -1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 mm H' I HIIIHIHHHI Mum HMIHHHHWHIIIIHWHHIWIHI' H'H HIHHHIHHHH II INVENTOR \0 AT TY.

Patented ay 8, 1923.

AsPAaaeUs CUTTER.

Application filed July 18, 1922. Serial No. 575,906.

To all to 710m it may concern Be it known that I, NIELS NinLsnN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Pittsburg, in the county of Contra Costa and State of California, have invented a new and useful Improvement in an Asparagus Cutter, of which the following is a specification. 1

y invention relates to improvements in machines for cutting asparagus into even lengths to facilitate handling and packing, wherein a pair of parallel conveyors operate in conjunction with a rotary cutting knife to bunch. and trim said asparagus into even lengths and to discharge said out stalks from said machine.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a new and improved asparagus cutter.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved means for temporarily bunching stalks of asparagus and passing the same past a cutting element to trim the stalks to even lengths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved device of the character set forth having improved means for aligning the tips of the asparagus stalks before trimming the other ends there of, to facilitate the cutting of the said stalks into even lengths.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved conveyors arranged at a suitable angle to facilitate introduction of asparagus stalks into the machine and for temporarily providing rigidly held bunches.

A still further object is to provide an adjustable cutting element whereby the length to which the stalks are to be out or trimmed may be readily and easily adjusted. I

Another object is to provide a new and improved asparagus cutter which may be inclined at a suitable angle whereby the stalks may be held within conveyor pockets by the action of gravity.

Still another object is to provide a ma chine of the type set forth wherein" conveyors are provided with elastic pockets arranged to engage andrigidly hold a bunch of asparagus stalks without injury to the same. while passing said stalks into engaging relation with a suitable cutting or trimming element.

A still further object is to provide a new andimproved device of the character described, having few partsof simple and inexpensive manufacture and having a maximum eficiency.

I accomplish these and other objects by 7 means of-the improved device disclosed in the drawings forming a part of the presentspecification wherein likecharacters of Fig. 3 is a broken front elevation of the device.

Referring to the drawings the numeral 1 is used to designate a suitable stand tothe upper end of which is pivotally mounted a table 2 having front and rear endlessiconveyors 3 and 4 respectively.

The table .2 is inclined to bring the front conveyor 3 slightly lower than the rear conveyor 4 and temporarily secured in such inclination by means-of slotted arcuate bars 6 held by means of suitable screws 7,' as

disclosed in the right hand end of of the drawings;

The conveyors 3 and 4 are preferably of equal length and are'each provided. with equally spaced extensions or arches 8 and a flexible band 9 is loosely connected to the crowns of successive arches so as to' provide recesses 10 which recesses 10 on one conveyor are arranged to register with the re-. cesses 10 on the adjacent side of the other conveyors to form'pockets for the reception 7 i V and retention of bunches of asparagus stalks 11.

The left hand or receiving end of the lower or front conveyor 3 is arrangedto project beyond the upper'or higher conveyor 4 so that those recesses 10 of said" lower conveyor 3 positioned beyond the end of the upper conveyor 4 will be open for the reception of stalks of asparagus to be out Running parallel with and midway between the conveyors 3 and 4 and arranged transversely thereto is a fiat conveyor belt 12 running over suitable pulleys 14 and ar-: ranged to form a bottom to the pockets formed by the registering recesses 10 of the conveyors 3 and 4. The belt 12 is arrangedto run at the same speed with the "conveyors 3 and 4 by means of a suitable bevel or mitre gears 28 being in mesh with gear 16 meshing with a similar gear 17 on the shaft 18 oi one of the pulleys 19 of the conveyor 3. The adj acentor corresponding pulley 21 of the conveyor 4 is also provided with a shaft 22 and this shaft 22 as well as the shaft 18 or" the conveyor 8, is provided with a worm gear 23, both o'r said worm and driven by suitable worms 24upon the shaft 26 of a suitable motor 27' wl ereby both conveyors 3 and 4 and the flat belt 12 may be operated in unison and at the same speed, to insure constant registration otthe recesses 10 to formt-e asparagus receiving pockets, of which the flat belt 12 forms the bottom.

As the table'2 isslightly inclined, dis- 'cldsed in Figure l or the drawings, it is obvious that the upper recesses on the projectiilgportion of the conveyor will be in proper position to receive asparagus stalks to be trimmed or cut. The stalks are placed with the spears downwardly and to align .said spear tips an agitator is provided as follows:

A portion 29 of the table 2 is cut out and hingedly connected to the remaining portion of said table as at 30 and this cut out portion or agitator 29 is connected-by means of suitable connecting rods to suitable eccentrics 33 mounted upon the shaft 26 ot the motor 27.

As the motor 2'? is operated the agitator 29 is agitated and in turn agitates the portion of the. flat belt 12 immediately above it and produces suflicient agitation or vibration to settle all of the stalks so that their spear-ends or points will readily settle and thereby be'aligned as disclosed in the central left hand end of Fig. 3 of the drawings. The table 2 is also provided with a bracket 36 upon which a vertically movable motor 87 is mounted, said vertical move-,- ment of said motor 37 being accomplished by means of a threaded rod 38. The shaft 39 of the motor 37' is arranged perpendicularly to the surface of the table 2 and is provided at its lower end with a rotary knife4lr A guide 42 is provided to deflect severed stalk ends into an aperture 43 within the.

table 2, under which aperture 43 may bebe placed a suitable receptacle, or a conveyor,

not shown, to receive said severed ends.

The uppermost or inside portion of the conveyor 3 is supported by a supporting back or plate 44 to hold the moving stalks 11 in position.

A second flat belt 46 is provided at the rear end of the table 2 to receive the trimmed or cut stalks of asparagus.

' A shield47 is provided at the lower side of the inclined table 2 and projects over the lower feeding; end of the conveyor 3 to protect' an operator from the moving arches'8 on the lower side of said conveyor 3.

In operation the operator stands in front of the shield 47 and places bunches of asparagus stalks w'th'n the upper recesses 10 of the projecting end of the lower or front conveyor 3. As the conveyor 3, and. its adjoining conveyor 4 move forward the recesses 10 otthe upper conveyor 4 are brought into register with the filled recesses 10 of the lower conveyor Asthe con tinuous and flexible bands 9 form around the bun thes oil' the asparr 'us stalks said bunches are ti htly but yield igly held by said backs withn the pockets formed by the recesses 10. 7

Just previouslyto being engaged by both 1" cesses or conveyors the stalks, which are placed within said recesses and upon the belt 12 in an inverted position, that is, with the spears or points downward and resting upon the belt 12, the said bunches are carried by said recesses 10 and the belt 1:. over the vibrator 29- which agitates or vibrates the stalks sufliciently to align the points oi said stalks at the lower end of the bunch and on said. belt 12. r

After the spear ends or points are aligned. the bunches 11 are carried under the rota'lr; ing knife 41 and the uneven ends are cut or severed and all stalks are trimmed to the same length, the severed portions being deflected by the guide 42 into the aperture 43.

After passing under the revolving knife the separation of the recesses of the conveyors 3 and 4 will discharge the trimmed or cut stalks onto the delivery belt and by means of this belt carried to a point remote from the machine where they are prepared for canning.

As the web 9 is flexible it is evident that the bunches 11 will be readily engaged and rigidly held without damage to the stalks. and in a compact bunch be carried to'the' cutting element or revolving knife 41 to be. cut to even lengths. I

It is also'obvious that the vibration imparted to the belt 12 upon which the stalks are resting will readily settle all of the stalks until they are properly aligned so that when they are ultimately carried under the knife 41,-and trimmed thereby, all of the stalks will be cut to the same length.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: Y

.1. An asparagus cutter comprising a pair of parallel conveyors having oppositely disposed flexible pockets arranged to engage and carry bunches of asparagus stalks therebetween and discharge the same; and a cutting element arranged within the path of said bunches and arranged to sever the ends thereof. 7

2. An asparagus cutter comprising a. pair or" parallel conveyors having oppositely dif posed flexible pockets arranged to engage and carry bunches of asparagus stalks therebetween and discharge the same; a cutting element arranged within the path of said bunches and arranged to sever the ends thereof; and means for aligning the ends of said stalks at one end of said bunch, whereby said stalks may be cut to the same length,

by said cutting element.

3. An asparagus cutter comprising a cutting clement; means for engaging and carrying bunches of asparagus stalks into engaging relation with said cutting element whereby one end of said bunch may be cut evenly; and vibratory means for aligning the opposite end of said bunch before said hunch is presented. to said cutting element whereby all of the stalks within said bunch may be cut to the same length.

4. An asparagus cutter comprising acutting element; means for engaging and carrying bunches of asparagus stalks into engaging relation with said cutting element whereby one end of said bunch may be cut evenly; vibratory means for aligning the opposite end of said bunch before said bunch is presented to said cutting element whereby all of the stalks within said bunch may be cut to the same length; and meansfor adjusting the cutting elementrelatively to the stalk whereby the length to which said stalks are cut may be adjusted.

5. An asparagus cutter comprising a rotary cutting element; means for conveying asparagus stalks in bunches and presenting one end of said bunches to said cutting element to be cut thereby; and means for aligning the stalks at the opposite end of each bunch before presenting the same to said cutting element.

6. An asparagus cutter comprising a rotary knife; a pair of parallel conveyors 9 having flexible recessestherein arranged to reglster with the recesses of the other conveyor to form pockets to receive bunches of ranged to receive andcarry bunches of asparagus stalks therebetween; a belt mounted in association withthe inclined conveyors and actuated in unison therewith to maintain said bunches within the'pockets; and

cutting element mounted within the pathof the bunches and arranged to sever the ends thereof.

8. An asparagus cutter comprising a pair of parallel conveyors transversely inclined and provided with registering pocketsarranged to receive and carry bunches of as:

paragus stalks therebetween; a belt mounted in association with the inclined conveyors and actuated in unison therewith to maintain said'bunches within the pockets; and a cutting element mounted within the path of the bunches and arranged to sever the ends thereof; and means for aligning the oppo site ends of the stalks composing-each bunch before said bunches are presented to the cutting element whereby said stalks may be cut to the same length by said cutting element.

In witness whereof-I hereunto set my signature.

NIELS NIELSEN. 

